UN envoy says Japan should do more to protect nuclear victims

Japan has not done enough to ensure the health of residents and workers affected by the Fukushima nuclear crisis, Anand Grover, the UN Special Rapporteur, said Monday.

Grover said in his report after an 11-day survey that the government had adopted “overly optimistic views” of radiation risks and conducted limited health checks following the meltdown.

Ongoing health checks for affected residents were “too narrow in scope,” he added.

The health survey should encompass “all radiation-affected zones” and not only Fukushima as the impact of radiation went far beyond its borders. Still, only one-quarter of Fukushima’s population has been covered, AP reports.